The day after a holiday my mom always turns the leftovers into a hearty soup. Turkey and rice follows Thanksgiving. After Easter, the leftover ham becomes a thick chili-like soup. Of course, you don’t have to wait for a holiday to make this; the recipe below is good with any fully-cooked ham.
This recipe works well with other legumes. Black beans, chickpeas, or even lentils could be substituted for the pintos. Allspice might seem an odd choice for a savory soup, but the slight sweetness is the perfect counterpoint to salty ham.
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
6-8
10 mnutes
6 hours
6 hours, 10 minutes
1 lb. (450 g) dry pinto beans
1 lb. (450 g) diced fully cooked ham (with hambone if possible)
2 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 teaspoon (2 g) chili powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) allspice
7 cups (1680 ml) chicken broth
1 15oz (425 g) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon (7 g) salt
1 lemon, juiced
Hot sauce, to finish
Rinse beans thoroughly and add to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add ham, garlic, onions, ham bone, chili powder and allspice. Pour chicken broth on top.
Cook on high 5 hours, until beans are tender.
Once beans are tender, remove the hambone if used.
Stir in diced tomatoes, salt, and lemon juice. Add a few splashes of hot sauce if desired.
Cook for additional 30 minutes. Serve garnished with additional hot sauce.
Pro Tip: The flavorful broth of this soup is perfect for dunking. Serve with slices of crusty white bread or thick hunks of cornbread.